Presiding Bishop Finds Vital, Lively Churches in Colombia and Honduras
Episcopal News Service. January 17, 1996 [96-1354]
Barbara Braver, Presiding Bishop's Information Officer
"I have come because I want to be with you, to learn from you, to see how God calls you, to see through you an expression of how Christ's ministry is carried out in the world."
That's how Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning greeted Episcopalians in Colombia and Honduras during a whirlwind visit to these Latin American dioceses in mid-December.
For seven very full days he traveled thousands of miles by air and hundreds of miles by van over rough roads, celebrated the Eucharist in cathedrals and tiny churches in remote areas, was greeted exuberantly by bursts of firecrackers and skyrockets, visited orphanages, church-run schools, an AIDS clinic, met clergy and their families, talked with Volunteers for Mission from the Episcopal Church and other missionaries, received a warm welcome and "key to the city" from civic officials in several areas.
Browning also engaged in ecumenical conversations, gave interviews to the press, met with the US Ambassador to Honduras -- an active Episcopalian, and in numerous ways experienced the vitality of the dioceses of Colombia and Honduras. "They are doing so much with so little," he said at the close of the visits, "and we must reaffirm our partnership to support their incredible efforts."
Colombia, Honduras and 11 other dioceses in South and Central America form Province IX of the Episcopal Church. The dioceses receive nearly $3 million annually from the General Convention budget as base budget support. During his visit the presiding bishop had to deliver the difficult news that, based on pledges by US dioceses, five percent must be cut in 1996.
Though the dioceses of Latin America share a common language, similar threads in their history and a zeal for ministry, their political, social and economic realities are quite different, and thus so are the ministry emphases. The Rev. Canon Patrick Mauney, director of Anglican and Global Relations for the Episcopal Church, explains that, "Honduras has long had a small Anglican presence but in the last decade, under the leadership of Bishop Leo Frade, the church has experienced dramatic growth. Colombia, on the other hand, has a widely dispersed population over a huge area and the Episcopal church has had to struggle to make its presence felt," according to Mauney. "Church growth is a priority there and a firm foundation is being laid for expansion."
During its time in Colombia, the presiding bishop's party was led throughout by Bishop Bernardo Merino Botero, who has been the Bishop of Colombia for some 15 years and is the first Colombian to serve as bishop. The itinerary included two Colombian cities: Cartagena, a lush colonial city where one may still see the buildings that housed the Spanish Inquisition and the market area that was the seat of the infamous slave trade; and Bogota, a lively metropolis nestled at approximately 9,000 feet in the mountains, site of the diocesan offices.
Browning met with a dozen clergy, most of whom also hold secular jobs to support their ministry, who serve 20 missions dotting the mountainous nation. Bishop Merino has greatly strengthened the infrastructure of the diocese and its ability to carry out ministry. During his tenure, a cathedral, a diocesan center and a conference center have been built, the latter with strong support from the General Convention budget. He dreams of a theological college. The church is growing and trained clergy and lay ministers are sorely needed.
The Diocese of Honduras has 50 missions and seven priests, along with many trained lay pastors. Bishop Frade and his wife, Diana, who is a member of the Episcopal Church Executive Council, shared with the visitors something of ministry of the church in Honduras.
A packed itinerary included visits to medical clinics, schools and orphanages run by the diocese, among them Our Little Roses, a home for abandoned and abused girls, and The Home of Love and Hope for boys. The presiding bishop laid the cornerstone of a Home for Newly Born as part of Our Little Roses, that will respond to the crisis of abandoned babies in a nation that is second to Haiti for poverty.
While in Tegucigalpa Browning and Bishop Frade had a two-hour session with the Roman Catholic Archbishop, Oscar A. Rodriguez. "The presiding bishop made more ecumenical progress in two hours than we have made in years," said Frade, who himself has worked hard at establishing positive relations.
Archbishop Rodriguez, who is the president of the Latin American Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops, took pains to welcome the American primate, and sent an official message asking Roman Catholics to pray for the success of the visit. As Bishop Frade explained, "The visibility given to the Episcopal Church by this visit, and the fact that people here in Latin America understand that we are part of a worldwide communion, was a real boost for us."
"We need to keep learning from our partners," Browning said just prior to returning home. "At times our church has been divided in its understanding of mission. Some emphasize proclamation and spiritual formation while others preach a 'social gospel' and do community development. In Latin America it is understood that these are two sides of the same coin. We can thank God for this reminder," he said.
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